Check for picker stick of looms



Oct. 18, 1960 I F. H. PRESSLEY 2,956,590

CHECK FOR PICKER STICK OF LOOMS Filed Jan. 28, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FFIG. I

INVENTOR. FELIX H. PRESSLEY A TTORNE Y Oct. 18, 1960 F. H. PRESSLEYCHECK FOR PICKER s'rxcx OF LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 28, 1960INVENTOR. A FELIX H. PRESSLEY 6 0 WW t.

A TTORNE Y States 2,956,590 Patented Oct. 18, 1960 ice CHECK FOR PICKERSTICK F LOOMS Felix H. Pressley, 311 Snow St., Greer, S.C.

Filed Jan. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 5,156

8 Claims. (Cl. 139-162) This invention relates to checks for pickersticks of looms.

The present invention constitutes an improvement upon the picker stickcheck shown in my prior United States Patent 2,452,955, issued November7, 1948.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved positively actingpicker stick check which will gradually and firmly check the pickerstick upon its out stroke and eliminate rebounding of the picker stickat the end of its out stroke.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a picker stickcheck including parts which positively engage the outer side of thepicker stick above and below the parallel shoe during the checkingoperation.

Another object is to provide means in a picker stick check device forautomatically resetting the check device upon the forward or in strokeof the picker stick, and resilient means to check or cushion the devicewhen the same is shifted by the picker stick to its reset position,wherein the device is again ready to check the picker stick upon itsnext out stroke.

Another object is to provide a picker stick check which is bodilymounted upon the lay sword of the loom and positively connected with theparallel carried by the parallel rock shaft.

A further object is to provide a picker stick check of theabove-mentioned character which is bodily arranged near the lower endsof the picker stick and sword and close to the parallel mechanism, andthereby minimizing vibration and the tendency of the parallel shoe tojump up from the parallel on each pick.

Another object is to provide a picker stick check which is free fromconnection With the loom lay, to thereby avoid damaging or breaking thelay, as frequently occurs when conventional check straps are employed.

A further important object is to provide a picker stick check which willcheck the picker stick on its out stroke uniformly or evenly at everypick.

A further object is to provide a picker'stick check which will resistthe tendency of the parallel shoe to slide on the parallel as it throwsthe shuttle across the lay.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a loom having my improvedpicker stick check mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the check in theinactive or reset position, as effected by the movement of the pickerstick upon its in stroke, the parallel shoe and associated elementsshown in Figure 1 being removed for the purpose of illustration.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of the picker stick check shownin Figures 1 and 2 and with the picker stick, parallel motion andassociated elements shown in phantom lines for the purpose of clarity.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse section taken substantially on line44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the picker stickcheck in the active or picker stick checking position of Figure 1 andlooking at the side of the device opposite to that illustrated in Figure2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the picker stick check andassociated elements, partly in section.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the picker stick check andassociated elements arranged as in Figure 1 but looking at the oppositeor inner side of the check.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustra tion is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a frameside of the loom, in the lower portion of which is journaled the usualrock shaft 11, carrying at each end a parallel 12, upon which is mountedthe parallel shoe 13 of the picker stick 14. The picker stick isoperated by a lug strap connection 15, connected with the pick arm 16,mounted upon the pick shaft 17. This pick shaft is journaled in suitablebearings 18, carried by the frame side 10, as shown. Rigidly mountedupon the rock shaft 11 are swords 19, only one sword being shown, andthe usual lay 20 is rigidly mounted upon the upper ends of the swords19. The lay is provided at each end with a shuttle box 21. The loom thusdescribed is of a well known conventional type, such as shown in UnitedStates Patent 2,093,226, and need not be described in further detailherein.

The picker stick check of the present invention is in the nature of anattachment to be mounted bodily upon the sword 19 and connected with thespring drum which serves to return the picker stick outwardly, and whichspring drum is rigid with the parallel 12. The picker stick check thusmounted greatly reduces vibration in the loom and in no way adverselyaffects the normal operation of the picker stick parallel motion.

The picker stick check comprises an elongated rigid horizontal mountingarm 22, rigidly secured to the sword 19 near the lower end of thelatter, as at 23. A depending brace 24 connected with the arm 22 nearits outer end is also rigidly connected to the inner end of the centralstud 25 of the usual spring drum 26, having the strap 27 connected withthe lower end of the picker stick 14 and serving to return the pickerstick to its outer position, Figure 1, and to maintain the parallel shoe13 seated upon the parallel 12. The entire picker stick check is carriedby the mounting arm 22, and this arm is rigidly secured to the loom, asdescribed, at 23 and 25.

A relatively short horizontal L-shaped bracket 28 is adjustably securedat 29 to a transverse extension 36 on the mounting arm 22 and projectingrearwardly or away from the picker stick 14, as shown in the drawings.

A relatively short transverse horizontal shaft 31 is journaled forrotation at 32 within an opening formed through the bracket 28. Acombined brake drum and ratchet wheel 33 is rigidly mounting upon theshaft 31 for rotation therewith close to one side of the bracket 28,Figure 4, and the element 33 includes a cylindrical brake drum portion34, and a somewhat enlarged toothed ratchet wheel portion 35, integraltherewith, as shown.

Likewise rigidly secured to the shaft 31 for rotation therewith is agenerally vertical cross arm or bar 36, having a hub portion 37receiving the shaft 31. Near its upper end, the cross arm 36 carries anL-shaped check element or bracket 33, rigidly and adjustably securedthereto at 39. The forwardly projecting horizontal part 40 of checkbracket 38 carries a resilient pad or cushion 4-1, which extends acrossand engages the outer generally vertical edge of the picker stick 14,near and above the parallel shoe 13, as shown.

As shown clearly in Figures 2 and 5, the cross arm 36 extends forsubstantial distances above and below the rotary shaft 31. The checkbracket 38 previously described lies in a generally horizontal planesome distance above the shaft 31. Below the shaft 31 and lying in avertical plane is a substantially L-shaped adjustable check bracket ormember 42, comprising an upper horizontal part 43, rigidly secured tothe cross arm 36 at 44, somewhat below the shaft 31. A second dependingpart 45 of check bracket 42 is adjustably rigidly secured to the part 43at 46, and a forwardly projecting horizontal bolt 47 is adjustablysecured to the lower portion of the bracket part 45 and carries a freelyrotatable hardened metal roller 48, disposed generally in verticalalignment and underlying relation to the check pad 41. The exactposition of the roller 48 is readily adjustable by means of theconnections 46 and 47, as should be obvious.

A rigid cam plate 49 is bolted to the outer side of the picker stick 14near its lower end, as at 50, utilizing the same bolt which secures thestrap 27 to the outer side of the picker stick. The lower end of the camplate 49 is downwardly and outwardly curved at 51 for smooth engagementwith the hardened roller 48, previously described, and which roller isdisposed adjacent the lower extremity of the picker stick and inalignment therewith, Figures 3 and 6. It may now be seen that theelements 41 and 48 of the picker stick check, carried by the cross arm36, engage with the picker stick 14 upon its outer side, above and belowthe shaft 31 and above and below the parallel shoe 13 and parallel 12.This is an important feature of the invention, the advantages of whichwill be further described hereinafter.

A brake band 52 surrounds the brake drum portion 34, as shown in thedrawings, and has adjustable frictional engagement therewith. One end ofthis brake band is fixedly attached at 53 to the bracket 28, while theother end of the brake band is resiliently adjustably secured as at 54to a member or bolt 55, rigidly mounted upon the bracket 28. Thefrictional engagement of the brake band with the drum 34 is readilyadjusted through a rather wide range at 54.

Top and bottom oppositely disposed ratchet pawls 56 and 57 are pivotallysecured to the cross arm 36 at 58, above and below the ratchet wheelportion 35. These pawls are resiliently urged into engagement with theteeth 59 and ratchet wheel 35, by spring means 60, carried by oppositesides of the vertically swingable cross arm 36.

The pawls 56 and 57 are adapted to drive or turn the combined brake drumand ratchet wheel 33 in the clockwise direction, Figure 2, and to tripover the teeth 59 of the ratchet wheel portion without turning thelatter when the cross arm 36 swings in the counter-clockwise direction.

A sturdy brace 61 has its lower end rigidly secured to one side of thebracket 28, as shown at 62, and the upper end of the brace 61 carries ahorizontal slotted guide 63, which receives and guides the upper taperedend 64 of the cross arm 36, to stabilize the same against sidewise orlateral displacement with the check element 41. The guide 63 thus aidsin maintaining the upper check element 41 in proper alignment with theouter side of the picket stick 14.

A forward extension 65 on the L-shaped bracket 28 carries a plate 66rigidly secured thereto at 67. This vertical plate 66 carries ahorizontal reciprocatory plunger or bumper 68, having a spring 69associated therewith to urge the bumper outwardly toward the cross arm36, Figure 2 A coacting element or stop 78, rigidly secured to the crossarm 36 at 71 is arranged for contact with the resilient bumper 68 tocheck the inward swinging movement of the upper end of the cross arm 36when the same is shifted to the inactive or preset position by thepicker stick 14 upon the in stroke of the latter, as will be furtherdescribed. The bumper 68 is not a vital part of the mechanism and may bedispensed with entirely if desired.

The operation of the picker stick check is as follows:

The lug strap connection 15 and associated elements propels the pickerstick inwardly or to the left from its outermost position shown inFigure 1, and the conventional spring drum 2 6 with the strap 27 tendsto return the picker stick to its outer position shown in Figure l. Thepurpose of the check mechanism is to smoothly and gradually check thepicker stick upon its out stroke under the impact of the shuttle whichstrikes the picker at the top of the picker stick. It is also desirablethat the picker stick check resist rebounding or inward bouncing of thepicker stick when the same is checked on its out stroke.

Assuming that the picker stick check of the present invention has beenpre-set by the picker stick on its last in stroke, not shown in thedrawings, the cross arm 36 will be in the position shown in Figure 2 andthe check elements 41 and 48 will be in the positions shown in Figure 2.When the picker stick moves on its out stroke toward the position shownin Figure l, the lower portion of the picker stick above the parallelshoe 13 will engage the pad 41, and through the check bracket 38, thecross arm 36 will be swung to the right or clockwise in Figure 2 forturning the shaft 31 relative to the stationary bracket 28. When thisoccurs, the pawls 56 and 57 positively drive or turn the combined brakedrum and ratchet wheel 33 in the clockwise direction, and the brake band52 exerts a firm and gradual checking action upon the element 33 andupon the cross arm 36 which is turning therewith and upon the pickerstick 14 which is now engaging the element 41. This gradually andsmoothly checks the picker stick upon its out stroke.

Substantially simultaneously with the engagement of the picker stick onits out stroke with the check element 41, the lower check element 48, orroller, will be shifted by the cross arm 36 into stabilizing engagementwith the curved cam plate 51, below the shaft 31 and below the parallel12. This aids in smoothly checking the picker stick on its out strokeand greatly reduces vibration of the parallel motion and associated loomparts and prevents the parallel shoe 13 from jumping upon the parallel12. The provision of the cam part 51 for contact with the roller 48during the checking operation of the picker stick greatly stabilizes thepicker stick and the picker stick check device.

When the picker stick 14 begins its in stroke under influence of the lugstrap connection 15, the picker stick tends to move away from the checkelement 41, but the curved cam plate 51 moves toward the roller or camfollower 48, which roller is rigid with the cross arm 36 through themedium of the bracket 42. Consequently, as the picker stick movesinwardly from its position shown in Figure 1 the cam plate 51 acting onthe roller 48 begins to turn the cross arm 36 counter-clockwise inFigure 2, to re-set the picker stick check preparatory to checking thepicker stick on the next out stroke of the latter.

When the cross arm 36 is thus swung counter-clockwise, Figure 2, towardits pre-set or inactive position, the upper check element 41 of coursetravels to the left or inwardly with the top of the cross arm 36. Duringthis movement, occasioned by the in stroke of the picker stick, theresiliently urged pawls 56 and 57 trip over one pair of teeth 59 on theratchet wheel 35 near the top and bottom of the ratchet wheel. At thistime, the brake band 52 holds the element 33 against counter-clockwiserotation with the cross arm 36 and associated parts. Accordingly, whenthe picker stick 14 moves on its in stroke, the cam plate 51 carried bythe lower end of the picker stick and acting against the roller 48resets the picker stick check device in the position to again check thepicker stick effectively and in the manner previously described upon itsnext out stroke. When the resetting of the cross arm 36 and associatedelements takes place as described, the counter-clockwise movement of thecross arm 36, Figure 2, may be resiliently checked by engagement of theelement 70 with the resilient bumper 68 when the latter is employed.With the parts of the picker stick check thus reset automatically asshown in Figure 2, the picker stick 14 will again be eifectively checkedon its next out stroke in the same manner previously described.

Figure 5 shows the relative positions of the cross arm 36 and associatedelements when the picker stick check is in the active position andchecking picker stick 14 at or near the end of its out stroke. Figure 5also shows the picker stick check from the opposite side to thatillustrated in Figure 2. In this respect, Figure 5 corresponds to theshowing in Figure 7, which figure shows the mechanism from the oppositeside to that illustrated in Figure 1.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A picker stick check for a loom comprising a support member securedto the sword near the lower end thereof and extending away from thesword substantially horizontally and terminating near the parallelmotion and near the lower end of the picker stick, means interconnectingsaid support member and parallel motion to stabilize the support member,a combined brake drum and ratchet wheel journaled upon the supportmember for rotation near the parallel motion, a generally vertical crossarm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends near said combined brakedrum and ratchet wheel for oscillatory movement relative thereto, saidcross arm extend ing above and below the ratchet wheel and above andbelow said parallel motion, pawl means carried by the cross arm andengageable with the ratchet wheel to turn the same with the brake drumin one direction when the cross arm turns in one direction underinfluence of the picker stick when the latter is moving on its outstroke, a brake band engaging said brake drum and connected with thesupport member to check the rotation of the brake drum in said Onedirection under influence of the movement of the cross arm, a firstcheck element carried by the cross arm near the upper end of the latterand above the parallel motion and engaging the outer side of the pickerstick when the picker stick moves on its out stroke, a second checkelement carried by the cross arm near the lower end of the cross arm anddisposed adjacent the lower end of the picker stick and below theparallel motion, and a cam element rigid with the lower end of thepicker stick and on the outer side of the picker stick and engageablewith said second check element to stabilize the picker stick duringchecking of the latter upon its out stroke, said cam element acting uponthe second check element to shift the cross arm with the first checkelement to a reset position during the in stroke of the picker stick sothat the latter may again be checked upon its next out stroke, said pawlmeans then passing over the teeth of the ratchet wheel without turningthe same when the cross arm is moved to said reset position.

2. A loom picker stick check comprising supporting means secured to thesword near the lower end of the sword and extending near the lower endof the picker stick, rotary means mounted upon the supporting means nearthe lower end of the picker stick, a generally vertically extendingcross arm journaled upon said rotary means for turning movement relativethereto and extending above and below said rotary means and above andbelow the parallel motion of the loom, friction brake means connectedwith the rotary means to resist turning movement of the same, one-waydriving means carried by the cross arm and engaging the rotary means toturn the same in one direction when the cross arm turns in thatdirection, said one-way means ineifective to turn the rotary means inthe other direction when the cross arm turns in such direction, a firstcheck element carried by the cross arm above the rotary means and abovesaid parallel motion and engaging the outer side of the picker stick, asecond check element carried by the cross arm below the rotary means andsaid parallel motion and disposed near the outer side of the pickerstick adjacent its lower end, and an element secured to the outer sideof the picker stick adjacent its lower end and engageable with thesecond check element to shift the same with the cross arm in onedirection when the picker stick moves on its in stroke and therebysetting the first check element in a position to check the picker stickon its next out stroke, engagement of the picker stick on its out strokewith the first check element turning said cross arm and causing saidone-way driving means to turn the rotary means and the friction brakemeans then checking the turning of the rotary means, cross arm and saidfirst check element to check the picker stick on its out stroke.

3. A loom picker stick check comprising supporting means secured to thesword near the lower end thereof and extending near the lower end of thepicker stick and the loom parallel motion, rotary means journaled uponthe supporting means near the lower end of the picker stick and spacedfrom one side of the picker stick, a generally vertical oscillatorycross arm pivotally mounted upon said rotary means to swing relativethereto and extending above and below the rotary means and above andbelow the parallel motion, check elements carried by the cross arm nearthe top and bottom of the latter and engageable with the outer side ofthe picker stick above and below the parallel motion, friction brakemeans connected with the rotary means to resist turning of the same inone direction, and one-way active driving connecting means between saidrotary means and cross arm.

4. A loom picker stick check according to claim 3, and wherein saidfriction brake means is adjustable.

5. A loom picker stick check check according to claim 3, and resilientmeans engageable with the cross arm to check the movement of the same inone direction under influence of the picker stick on its in strokecaused by engagement of the lower end of the picker stick with the lowercheck element.

6. A loom picker stick check according to claim 3, and stabilizing guidemeans for the upper end of the cross arm and secured to said supportingmeans.

7. A loom picker stick check according to claim 3, and wherein the checkelements are adjustably secured to said cross arm for proper engagementwith the picker stick.

8. A loom picker stick check according to claim 3, and a downwardly andoutwardly curved rigid cam element secured to the outer side of thepicker stick near its lower end for engagement with the lower checkelement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS395,842 Littlefield Jan. 8, 1889 914,360 Nevin Mar. 2, 1909 1,311,053Darlington July 22, 1919 2,452,955 Pressley Nov. 2, 1948

